Tractor hitch



May 23, 1939. G. w, 'TODD 2,159,460

' TRACTOR HITCH Filed July 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l W-Zdd INVENToR ATTORNEYS.

Gar/y G, W, TODD May 23, 1939.

TRACTOR HITCH Filed July 27. '1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o eno @o @e009 Garn/'1y WTodcL v INVENToR.

A TT ORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 Y 2,1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACTOR BITCH Garry W. Todd, Charlotte, N. C.

Application July 27, 1938, Serial No. 221,619

Claims. (Cl. 97-232) This invention relates to a tractor drawn plow, the sulky type, the tractor including a frame 6, and more particularly to the hitch used in conwhich is provided with bearings in which the necting the tractor to the plow, the primary obaxle 'I is mounted. ject of the invention being to provide means for Wheels 8 are mounted on the axle 'I, the wheels 5 hitching a plowto a tractor in such a way that 8 being provided with sprockets 3 over which the 5 the weight of the load is balanced at all times, chains I0 operate, the chains also moving over due to equalizing the engine torque and draft the substantially small sprockets II mounted on load. the outer ends of the shafts I2 that in turn are An object of the invention is to provide a operated by a suitable engine mounted on the wheel-supported plow frame in which the plows tractor, and not shown in the present drawings. 10 are pivotally mounted, means being provided for The Shafts I2 receive motion from the propeller adjusting the plows in such a way that when the shaft I3 through the clutches I4 and I5 that are adjusting chains thereof have been slackened, operated by means of the foot pedals I6 disposed and the plows move rearwardly the plows will run adjacent to the operators seat for ready access out of the ground, eliminating the necessity of by the operator. 15 the operator lifting the plows to their inactive Thereference character II indicates a central positions. bar'disposed longitudinally of the frame 6, which An important object of the invention is to probar provides a support for the plate I8 that is vide a, hitch which will have a connection with formed with aplurality of spaced openings to the tractory in such a way that the torque load receive thev shaft I9 on which the pulley 20 is 20.v

is behind the pivot point and draft load is ahead mounted. Thus it will be seen that due to this of the pivot point, thereby equalizing the engine construction, the shaft I9 may be adjusted longitorque by the draft load which holds the deadtudinally of the plate I8 to adjust the position of weight balanced. the shaft I9 and pulley 20, for purposes to be A further object of the invention is to increase hereinafter more fully described. 25.

the dead-weight by directing the draft load to Mounted on the tractor frame, is a lever 2I that the point of contact between the tractor wheels has its lower end extended below the lower edges and ground surface. of they frame 6, where it is formed with an openkA still further object of the invention is to proing to which one end of the cable 22 is connected.

vide means whereby the hitch may be adjusted This cable 22 passes over the pulley 20 and has 304 with respect to the tractor, thereby adapting the connection with the forwardly extended bar 23 device for use under Various ground conditions. of the vertically movable plow frame 24. Due to With the foregoing and other objects in View, this construction, it will be seen that movement which will appear as'the description proceeds, of the lever 2| will result in a movement of the 4the invention resides in the combination and arbar 23, adjusting the vertically movable plow 35,

rangement of parts and in the details of conframe with respect to the tractor. Plows 25 are struction hereinafter describedv and claimed, it carried on the vertically movable plow frame 24. being understood that changes in the precise em- Links 26 connect the vertically movable plow bodiment` of the invention herein described, may frame 24 with the main plow frame 21, which is be made within the scope of what is claimed, wheel-supported, the main plow frame being 40 without departing from the spirit of the inconnected to the tractor frame, by means of the vention. hitch bar 28 that extends between the spaced Referring to the drawings: bar 29, the forward end of the hitch bar 28 be- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View ing connected with the tractor frame, by means through a tractor and plow, constructed in acof the ball `and socket connection 30, disposed at 45 cordance with the invention. the lower end of the bracket 3I.

Figure 2 is a plan View thereof. y Mounted on the main plow frame is a lever 32 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through to which the chain 33 is connected, the chain the main plow frame and auxiliary pivoted plow 33 being connected with the vertically movable frame connected therewith. plow fr-ame 24, so that by movement of the lever 50 Figure 4 is an enlarged detail lview illustrating 32, the vertically movable plow frame 24 may be the adjustable connection between the supportadjusted to regulate the depth of operation of ing wheels and main plow frame. the plows 25 which are carried thereby.

Referring to the drawings in detail, therefer- The main plow frame 21 is supported by means ence character 5 designates a tractor which is of of the rear wheels 35 and a forward wheel 36, the 55 wheels being mounted at the lowerends of the vertical shafts 31 that are adjustable vertically through the bearings 38 carried by the main plow frame, by means of the collars 39 ywhich are held in position on the shafts 31, by means of the set screws 40.

The vertical shafts on which the forward wheel 36 and one of the rear wheels 35 are supported, are connected with the control lever 34 by means of the adjustable rods 39 and 40. Due to this construction, it will be seen that as the control lever 34 is moved to the right or left, the supporting wheels of the main plow frame will be moved to guide the main plow frame. When it is desired to guide the tractor, this is accom plished by throwing in one of the clutches I5 or I6, according to the direction to be traveled, and throwing out the opposite clutch member.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the draft load is ahead of the pivot, and the torque load orpull directed to the tractor wheels by the engine, is behind the pivot point to the end that the engine torque is equalized by the draft load, directingexcessive pressure to the ground surface, at the point of contact between the tractor Wheels and ground surface. It follows that excessive strain directed to the tractor, due to theplows striking an obstruction, will operate to increase the dead-weight of the tractor, and insure against the tractor rearing or the tractor wheels slipping over the groundrsurface.

I claim:

l. The combination witha tractor of the sulky type, of a wheel-supported main plow frame, a draw-bar connected with the main plow frame, means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to the tractor at a point in advance of the axle of the tractor, a vertically adjustable plow carrying frame mounted on the main plow frame,.an arm extending forwardly from the vertically adjustable frame, and a flexible member connecting the arm'to the tractor at a point in advance of the axle of the tractor and also in advance of the point of connection between the draw-bar and tractor. 2. The combination with a tractor of the sulky type, of a wheelsupported main plow frame, a drawbar connected with the plow frame, means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to the tractor at a point in advance of the axle and spaced from the forward end of the tractor, a vertically adjustable plow carrying frame mounted on the main plow frame, an arm extending forwardly from the 'vertically adjustable frame, said arm terminating in spaced relation with the axle of the tractor and at the rear of the axle of the tractor, and a ilexible member connected to the arm and having connection with the tractor at a point in advance of the axle of the tractor and also in advance of the point of connection between the rdraw-bar and tractor.

3. The combination with a tractor of the sulky type, of a wheel-supported main plow frame, a draw-bar connected with the plow frame, means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to the tractor at a point in advance o-f the axle of the tractor, a vertically adjustable plow carrying frame mounted on the main plow frame, means for adjusting the vertically adjustable plow carrying frame With respect to the main plow frame, an arm extending forwardly from the vertically adjustable frame, a pulley mounted on the tractor frame in advance of the connecting point between the draw-bar and tractor frame, and a flexible member connecting the armto the tractor, said flexible member passing over the pulley and having one en-d thereof adjustably secured to the tractor.

4. The combination with a tractor of the sulky type, of a wheel-supported main plow frame, a draw-bar connected with the plow frame, means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to -theV tractor at a po-int in advance of the axle of, the tractor, a vertically adjustable plow carrying frame mounted on the main frame, an arm extending forwardly from the vertically adjustable frame and terminating in spaced relation with the axle of the tractor, at the rear of the axle, a flexible member connected with the forward end of the arm, a pulley adjustably mounted on the tractor in advance ofthe axle an-d over which the flexible member moves, an adjusting lever to which one end of the flexible member is connected whereby the length of the flexible member may be adjusted, and means for adjusting the vertically adjustable frame.

5. The combination with a tractor of the sulky type, of a wheel-supported main plow frame, a draw-bar connected with the main plow frame, means .for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to the tractor at a point in advance of the axle of the tractor, a vertically adjustable plow carry* ing frame mounted on the main plow frame, an arm extending forwardly kfrom the vertically adjustable plow carrying frame, a bar mounted on the tractor in advance of the axle of the tractor, said bar having a plurality of spaced openings, a pulley adjustably lmounted within the openings, a flexible member connected with the forward end of the arm and movable over the pulley, a pivoted lever to which the opposite end of the flexible member is connected, whereby the fleXi-' ble member may be adjusted, and means for raising the vertically adjustable plow carrying frame.

GARRY W. TODD. 

